


A Gift

by NikitaDreams



Category: Thor - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-01
Updated: 2014-01-01
Packaged: 2018-01-07 00:15:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1113207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NikitaDreams/pseuds/NikitaDreams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Thor/Sif fic written for the Yuletide Warrior's Week with the prompt of "Holiday". A sweet reunion between friends and a gift exchanged. Light on romance.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Gift

It was her first Yule home in years, since having gone away to train with the Valkyrie. An honor afforded to few. And it was true she’d jumped at the chance – eager to prove herself. Though her friends had been doing their own training – and she’d missed practicing alongside them, she had known this was something she needed to do for herself.

How she’d missed them though.

It was Volstagg she found first, impossible to miss despite the crowds. Laughing, a tankard of ale in his hand. His eyes caught on her, lit with joy and recognition as he broke away from the cluster of people he’d no-doubt been regaling with some outlandish tale.

“Sif!” he exclaimed and caught her up in a crushing hug.

His gaze slid down over her. “I hardly recognize you!”

She smiled. “It’s been ten years, Volstagg. You couldn’t have expected me to stay the same.”

“Aye, that I didn’t,” he answered with a grin. “You’re home for good?”

She nodded. “If there’s a place for me.”

“There always was,” a voice behind her spoke, and Sif turned to meet Hogun’s serious expression.

She smiled. “That is good to know, old friend.”

“You didn’t believe your absence was not felt, did you?” he asked.

“I’d hoped. But it is always nice to hear.”

They chatted for a time, watching the great hall of the Palace of Asgard fill with people. Everyone dressed in their finery, barrels and barrels of ale lining the walls, servers passing out tankards and mugs. There were branches of pine along the windows and doors, yule logs burning in all the massive fireplaces, and every child who inhabited the great palace had already set out their boots full of offerings in hopes of a toy the next morning.

On Yule the ale flowed more freely than typical, which was to say that most ended up quite far gone. Sif could smell the roast boar and goat that would be traditionally served alongside many other feast staples. Here and there people were already raising their voices in song.

Along the far wall tapestries and figures depicted scenes from Odin’s Great Hunt, the tradition that led up to Yule. She’d missed it this year, and could not help but feel disappointment at that. But… there was always next year.

“Lady Sif!” Fandral approached, shaking her from her thoughts. He was surrounded by females, proving that some things would never change.

“Hello, Fandral.” She smiled.

“I didn’t know you were returning to Asgard.”

“I was hoping to surprise my friends,” she replied.

“Us?” Hogun asked. “Or Thor?”

Sif frowned at him, but there was no chance to respond – perhaps luckily, because the Prince in question had just arrived – drawing the attention of all gathered in his usual manner. His brother at his side garnered less notice.

And Sif was no different from the others, she could admit. There had always been something in Thor that pulled at her. Perhaps it was his confidence, his infectious smiled – that never seemed too hard to evoke. Perhaps it was the way he threw himself into a fight, the way he thrilled at battle. Or his unending loyalty and support of his friends. It was likely all of these things and more. But Sif had long come to understand that her feelings for Thor went beyond friendship. Something he hadn’t noticed before she left for training, and something she was not sure she’d ever let him notice. His friendship was important to her. And Thor… well he was a Prince. He could have any and all of the most beautiful women in Asgard. Why would he choose her?

Sif had shaken herself from these thoughts by the time Thor arrived at her side. Somehow he’d spotted her, despite his throng of admirers.

“Sif!” he exclaimed, surprise lighting his face.

She hardly had time to brace as he scooped her up into a tight hug. She blinked, stepping back to catch her breath when he released her.

He was laughing.

Sif couldn’t help but smile in return.

“You’re home!” he said. Always one to state the obvious.

But she nodded anyway.

“Just for the celebration?” he asked.

“No, for good.” She smiled again, not noticing that their friends took their leave of them; Fandral with the ladies he’d arrived with, Hogun to obtain more ale, and Volstagg to join his new, young bride.

“So you are home for good,” Thor breathed, and for a moment she felt like his smile was for her eyes only.

“Yes. I hope that’s not a problem,” she quipped.

He laughed, looped his arm around her should and again she felt like just another friend.

“It is a boon of course! There is no one as skilled with a sword as the Lady Sif.”

“Fandral might be insulted to hear you say that,” she told him, ducking away to grab them both some ale from a passing server.

He took one from her with a laugh. “That does not make it any less true.”

She felt warmed from the compliment and smiled up at him as Thor led them from the crowds towards the balcony. They walked along the outside of the buildings in easy companionship for a while. There was a chill in the air, but there’d yet to be any snowfall. Sif had forgotten how easy it was to be in Thor’s company. But soon they were talking as if no time had passed; sharing recent news, catching up on one-another’s lives and swapping stories. She wouldn’t dare say it aloud, but she had missed him, had thought of him more often than the others.

Sif was startled out of her thoughts when they found themselves in the grand hallway outside of Thor’s quarters, far from the noise and the celebration.

She looked to her friend and smiled. “It hardly seems like you to sneak away from a party,” she teased.

He laughed. “True enough. But I had something I wanted to get. If you’ll only give me a few moments.”

She simply nodded, following him into the bedroom. As a child she’d been here, and it had always been immense and grand. It was different now; toys and games replaced with weapons and trophies. And the bed, a massive thing covered in red and gold. She did not linger too much on what other girls he might have brought here. Not for the purpose of fetching some forgotten item.

Sif hated the taste of jealousy in her mouth. It led to nothing. So she put it aside, turning her gaze to an examination of a collection of knives while Thor rifled through a chest at the foot of his bed.

“I can’t say that this was planned as your Yule gift. I actually got it for when you came home from your training.” He turned to grin at her over his shoulder, but she could only smile back in confusion.

“You got me a gift?”

She was stunned. Thor had never given her gifts before.

“We’ll have a party too… once the holiday passes. A welcome home for an old friend.”

She shook her head. “There is no need for all that. I’m just another warrior.”

“Hardly just,” he disagreed, straightening up.

He held something in his hands but she couldn’t tell what it was. She would be lying if she said she was not curious.

Sif shrugged, half-acknowledging the fact that she was not just any ordinary soldier. But nor did she want preferential treatment. She was already different enough.

“A welcome-back from my friends is all I need. No parties, please.”

“Fine. If you insist.” Thor shook his head with a smile.

“You mentioned a present. Where is it?” she asked, raising her brows.

“Impatient now, are we?”

However, he produced something folded up in a red cloth from behind his back.

Sif took it hesitantly, then drew back the top fold. Inside she found the brilliant glimmer of metal. Curious, she brushed the other fold aside.

Nestled in the soft, red fabric was a pair of vambraces, silver-colored metal polished to a shine. They were etched by the hands of Asgardian smiths – easy to tell from the angles and whorls, and the complex knot work along the edges. They fastened at the back with soft leather straps. The buttery material was nearly the same red color as Thor’s cloak.

Sif had always known she’d wear his colors into battle, but it was nice to know that he’d been thinking the same.

She lifted her head to meet his gaze, and for a moment thought she might’ve spied anxiousness there.

“They’re lovely,” she said simply “Thank you.”

Thor looked sheepish a moment. “Well, you know,” he began. “Every warrior needs proper armor. This is a start.”

She smiled. “That it is.” She wrapped the gift back up. “I know you said they’re for my welcome home, but now I feel guilty as its Yule… and I’ve no gift for you.”

Thor shook his head. “We’ve never exchanged gifts,” he insisted. “And besides… you’re home, Sif. That is gift enough for me.”

This time when he smiled at her she let herself believe that it was only for her.


End file.
